On April 5, 2007, a solemn and grandeurs sacrificing ceremony, for commemorating great Yellow Emperor, was held at Huangling County, north of Shaanxi Province. Thousands of distinguished guests from home and aboard gather up to attend the big ceremony in front of Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum.The day of April 5 every year is a very significant festival in China named Qingming Festival or Tomb Cleaning Festival. At this moment, the natives or overseas Chinese happened to coincide sacrificing their ancestors--Yellow Emperor and elderly family members.
Yellow Emperor, with over 5,000 years' history, was regarded as the greatest ancestor of China nationality. He had done a great contribution towards Chinese ancient civilization like inventions of lunar calendar, chart, script, music and arrows. It is said that he got up to heaven at Qiaoshan Mountain by his protruding feats.
His mausoleum was built around this area covering 4 square kilometers. With 60,000 trees in a dense cypress forest, the mausoleum area contains some grand hall, pavilions, stone steles and thousand-year old antique cypress; one cypress of 4,000 years is said to be planted by Yellow Emperor himself.
Long time ago, many celebrated persons had once paid a visit here for sacrificing Yellow Emperor. In the Qingming Festival of 1937, Communist officials on behalf of Chairman Mao were sent to the Mausoleum for sacrificing affairs.
In Qingming or Tomb Cleaning Festival, there are also many other folk traditions preserved for the day like spring-outing, planting trees, tomb cleaning, play polo, decorating with willow branches and playing kites. Upon the spring day's arriving in April, the whole of a family always roam along the fragrant green fields with these healthy games. As they are soaking in the joviality, they could never forget an outstanding Saint--Yellow Emperor any more.
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